I found this question really interesting, as everyone experiences a lot of change throughout their life, and each deals with it their own way.
My perspective on change is that it’s often a painful thing, not just when other people change, but when you find you yourself beginning to transform. However, lately, after doing some more reading into philosophy and religion, I’ve begun to have slightly different views.
When people change, I always feel like part of my relationship with them fades. The memories or parts of them I used to know are left in the past, because they have moved forward towards a new direction. They no longer completely belong to me (in thoughts) nor do I understand their exact essence the way I used to. But to me thats okay, because one of my theories is that people will always shift in and out of your life, and someone who says goodbye to you today might show up in front of your day with roses five years later. We have to allow for people to change, as it is only natural!
Life is a crazy thing, yet nothing is permanent, which always gives me hope.
On personal change, I think it’s a very scary thing to deal with at first. I have a lot of interests and a lot of dreams. Sometimes, when I find myself shifting away from something, I become really annoyed and sometimes even depressed because I feel like I have to abandon all my old work and start on a new thing just because my flighty personality can’t stick to one thing for too long.
However, over time I realize that we are defined by all our experiences, and most importantly, in the current moment. As soon as the current second passes, it becomes a memory, no more solid than a dream. Normally, from second to second, we stay in a similar setting. When the time passes, you are still in the same setting, so it feels more solid, less like a fleeting memory. However, imagine if every passing nanosecond you were able to physically transport to different places. Then as each nanosecond passed, the place and the you from that not distant path is no longer a solid thing.
It’s all in your mind, what is not this very moment all becomes a dream.
This way of thinking is reassuring to me, because I use it to relate to change.
Who I am in this very moment in the true me. In essence, I leave every single thing behind, including my own experiences, because the only moment I’m truly truly present in is now.
This way, I do less worrying about who I want myself to be, how to portray myself, etc, etc, and just focus on the me in this very moment. Being physically and mentally existent is an automatic thing. I am just trying to learn how to accept my presence, and to fully embrace and acknowledge all my thoughts and become truly mindful of the present.
These photos were taken by Tony Vo. He is literally amazing !
Stay tuned for more updates and exciting news to come soon!
-A
